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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25025710">Hold You Close</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide'>Annide</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Prodigal Son (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo, F/F, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:40:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25025710</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ainsley gets injured while covering the team's latest case and Dani decides to check on her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dani Powell/Ainsley Whitly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1667122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hold You Close</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Bad Things Happen Bingo: Secret Caretaking</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                Dani always thought journalists took unnecessary risks. Why on earth would you come stand so close to a building where multiple bombs had gone off? They’d made a perimeter of course, keeping them all as far away as possible, but they were still unreasonably close. One of them had to be Malcolm’s sister, but she couldn’t tell which one. There were a surprisingly high amount of long-haired blonde reporters in this city. She’d crossed path with several of them before, occasionally striking conversation. She was surprised to learn that Ainsley, the attractive reporter she’d been flirting with for months, was the little sister of Malcolm, the reckless profiler Gil had brought on to the team.</p><p>                Currently, Dani was outside interrogating potential witnesses, evacuees, anyone who could help them get a lead on this. JT was coordinating with the bomb squad, and Gil was inside the building, running after Malcolm who, big surprise, thought putting himself in harm’s way would be the best thing to do. He’d said something about thinking he could figure out a pattern and stop it, then ran inside. Classic Bright.</p><p>                Only problem was, they didn’t have a motive yet. They had no idea why this building had been targeted, and couldn’t figure out what the plan must be. Which meant they had no way of expecting the next bomb to be placed in the parking lot instead of inside. Dani heard a loud noise behind her and turned around just in time to see a news station van being propelled onto the nearby reporter and cameraman duo. Previous explosions hadn’t been that strong, but the bombs hadn’t been placed under a car full of fuel either.</p><p>                The logo on the van caught Dani’s eyes and horror wasn’t the only thing filling her mind anymore. ADN. Ainsley worked for that station. Dani ran there. She helped people free the cameraman first, because the camera was obstructing his airway and they had to act fast. There were a lot of scratches on her face, but there was no doubt that it was in fact Ainsley pinned under the truck. Dani could hear her groan in pain. She seemed to be barely conscious. It was probably better that she was in a bit of a daze, so she didn’t have to feel the full extent of her injuries just yet.</p><p>                Firefighters were on the scene in minutes, but it felt like so much more. Watching Malcolm come out of the building to see what had happened, and Gil wrapping his arms around him, holding him tightly against his chest to prevent him from running there and getting in the way, was excruciating. He was falling to pieces right in front of their eyes, his entire body letting him down. His legs failing to hold him up, crumbling under the pain, Malcolm’s knees hit the ground as he was overcome with sobs. Dani exchanged a look with Gil.  He would take care of Malcolm and she would stay by Ainsley’s side. She saw him get out his phone before the ambulance doors closed and they drove away.</p><p>                Ainsley was in surgery by the time Jessica, Gil and Malcolm made it to the hospital. Dani was pacing in the waiting room, she stopped and walked right over to give them an update as soon as she saw them. They were justifiably worried. She had expected the tears, the anxiousness, the fear, the impatience, the tremor, all of it. She had seen it all in her head while she stood here alone and it was exactly the way she’d imagined. Even when she assured them the doctors had told her Ainsley’s life wasn’t in danger, Jessica and Malcolm didn’t calm down. Not that she’d expected them to either.</p><p>                The four of them sat around the waiting room for hours. Dani watched several people come and go before a doctor finally came out to talk to them. Ainsley was going to be fine. She had a concussion, a sprained wrist and a broken leg, but she was alive, and would be back to work in no time. Though Jessica hoped her daughter would take as much time off as possible, Dani knew Ainsley would want to get back out there as soon as she could. She had that in common with Malcolm, they were really passionate about their work, maybe a little too much.</p><p>                The next morning, Dani sat in her car, across the street from Ainsley’s apartment, for an hour after her release from the hospital before Jessica and Malcolm gave up and left. She knew Ainsley would manage to get rid of them. She could imagine her insisting over and over again that she was fine. They would’ve looked at her in pure disbelief, but she was persistent enough that they would eventually decide to let her fend for herself. Not without repeating multiple times that she could always call them if she needed anything at all.</p><p>                Now, Ainsley was alone in her apartment. And she would certainly need some help, no matter how proud or stubborn she was. So Dani went up there and knocked on her door. Ainsley was surprised, but she let her in nonetheless. She looked happy to see her and Dani smiled back at her.</p><p>                “I know we’re not really friends, but I was wondering how you were doing.”</p><p>                “I’m good. I’d love to spend more time with you though. I’ve been meaning to ask, but then you started hanging out with my brother and it felt weird.”</p><p>                “Oh.”</p><p>                “I’m glad you’re here now.”</p><p>                Ainsley tried to head back toward her couch, but she struggled with her crutch. She couldn’t use both because of her sprained wrist. Dani stepped forward and put her arm around her waist, pulling Ainsley toward herself so she could help support her weight. They made it to the couch and Dani made sure Ainsley was comfortable, with her broken leg set on a cushion, before she sat next to her.</p><p>                “There is no way you can take care of yourself like that.”</p><p>                “Of course I can. It’s a little harder, but I can handle it.”</p><p>                “Wow, you and Malcolm really are related. Not sure more Whitly is what I need in my life.”</p><p>                “You’re the one who started flirting with me, remember? And you’re the one who showed up at my apartment unannounced.”</p><p>                “I was worried about you. And I was right to be, you can barely get around. Also, you kept flirting back to me even after Malcolm showed up, before I knew he was your brother.”</p><p>                “Well, I like you. But I assure you, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”</p><p>                “I heard your stomach growling just now, Ainsley.”</p><p>                “I can order in food, it’s not a big deal. I just seem to have misplaced my phone at the moment... but I’ll find it.”</p><p>                “I’ll make lunch. Unless you really want me to go.”</p><p>                “You don’t have to do anything. But I would love it if you stayed.”</p><p>                Dani stood back up and went to the kitchen. She was surprised to find the fridge and cupboard so well stocked. She was so used to Malcolm’s kitchen holding barely anything at all, she didn’t know why she had expected something similar, though she knew Ainsley was often the one grocery shopping for her brother. Dani made a nice omelet, with plenty of vegetables and even an avocado. She added bread to the plate and brought it to Ainsley with a glass of water.</p><p>                “Here, some good food full of nutrients to help your body heal.”</p><p>                “Thank you, this looks amazing.”</p><p>                They sat face to face on the couch, both leaning against an armrest, and ate their food while talking about their lives, their families, a little bit of everything. Dani felt like the more they talked, the more her crush on her deepened. She loved how confident Ainsley was, and how optimistic she appeared despite everything. She could see a hint of the same damage that was so evident on Malcolm, but it was hidden behind a solid wall of ambition and constant denial. Ainsley put up such a good front of being completely fine and unaffected by who her father was, it seemed she herself believed it.</p><p>                It was hard for Dani to stop looking into that beautiful face. Even with all those scratches from the explosion, Ainsley shone. She was unstoppable. Dani thought her irresistible, but she couldn’t sit there, staring at her forever. So she grabbed their empty plates and brought them back to the kitchen to rinse and load into the dishwasher. No traces were left of their lunch. And just in time too, because there was a knock on the door.</p><p>                “Ainsley, honey, I’m back. I thought you might need help with lunch.” They heard Jessica fumble with her keys. “Don’t try to get up, I’ll let myself in.”</p><p>                “Oh no.” Ainsley said. “My mom. You have to hide. She can’t know you’re here.”</p><p>                “Why not? I’m just here to help.”</p><p>                “Exactly. I’ll never hear the end of it if she learns I refused her help, then accepted some from one of Malcolm’s murder solving colleagues. She’d freak.”</p><p>                “How about we say Malcolm sent me to check on you?”</p><p>                “He’d come himself. Also, what happens when she berates him for sending someone else to do his big brother job?”</p><p>                “Fine.” Dani sighed. “Where?”</p><p>                “I doubt she’d go into my closet. The bathroom might be safe too.”</p><p>                “Alright. Just keep her out of there.”</p><p>                Dani managed to make it into the bathroom right before Jessica entered the apartment. She could hear them talk through the door left ajar. It’s also how she almost got caught when her phone buzzed. It was Malcolm wondering what she was doing, complaining that Gil didn’t have anything for him to work on now that they’d solve the bombing. She texted him back that it was inappropriate for him to complain about the lack of murder, especially when his sister was recovering from almost being a victim of their last case. And then she had to convince him not to come to Ainsley’s by telling him she probably needed some rest and he should wait until tomorrow to check on her. She imagined Ainsley didn’t want him to find out about her being here either.</p><p>                “I ate already. I told you, mom, you don’t need to baby me, I’m fine.”</p><p>                “I’m not babying you. I’m just trying to help. How do you even move around?”</p><p>                “I use the crutch with one hand. I promise, I will call you or Malcolm if I need anything at all. Good thing about having a brother who doesn’t sleep is, he would be here in minutes no matter the time.”</p><p>                “Are you sure?”</p><p>                “Yes. Thank you for checking in, and for the care basket, but I’m really tired, so can you please go? I just want to get some rest. Sleep is important to heal, you know.”</p><p>                “Do you need help getting to the bed?”</p><p>                “Mom, please.”</p><p>                “Fine. Don’t be afraid to call, any time, for any reason, alright? Goodbye.”</p><p>                “Bye, mom. Love you.”</p><p>                Jessica finally left and Dani went back to the living room, relieved. For a minute she’d thought she’d be stuck there all night. She started telling Ainsley about her conversation with Malcolm, but she was interrupted by Ainsley receiving a string of texts from her brother wishing her well and promising to come by in the morning.</p><p>                “If you want to rest, I can go too.”</p><p>                “I’d rather you stay, if you don’t mind.” Ainsley looked down, her fingers fumbling with her sleeves. “Dani, would you...” She took a breath and glanced back up. “Would you hold me?”</p><p>                Dani smiled. There was nothing she’d like more. “Of course.” She slipped behind Ainsley on the couch and wrapped her in her arms, pulling a throw blanket on them both. She deposited a kiss on the top of her head. “Sweet dreams, princess.”</p><p>                “I’m not... Ok, right, that’s fair.”</p><p>                Ainsley cuddled in more comfortably, then leaned up to kiss Dani on the cheek. Dani gently cupped her face and pulled her in for a soft kiss. When they detached, they were both smiling widely. Ainsley buried her face in Dani’s chest, closed her eyes and settled down for a nap. They fell asleep holding on to each other, sun rays filtering through the window to keep them warm.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sequel: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26482900">Only One Safe</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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